Packard Bell Packard Bell iMedia A3317 Price

RRP: 399

Packard Bell's iMedia A3317 is a compact, tidy-looking PC that ships with a custom-design tool-free case. But it's clearly an entry-level system - its WorldBench 6 performance falls a long way behind the competition, while it's the only PC here to rely on integrated graphics. This renders it quite useless for any form of 3D gaming.

There's very little room for expansion inside the Packard Bell iMedia A3317's case, although a pair of memory slots and one 16x PCI Express slot are free. If you decide to upgrade, bear in mind the limitations of the tiny 250W power supply.

The Packard Bell iMedia A3317's 19in LG monitor is a good-looking model with an expensive-looking finish, but it lacks a digital connection. Image quality suffers as a result.

For all its flaws, however, the Packard Bell iMedia A3317 is deserving of a second glance. For one thing, this machine costs £100 less than any other PC in our charts; for another, it comes stuffed full of software utilities. While this won't suit all users - some may even consider it ‘bloatware' - it can offer the inexperienced the hand-holding they need. Applications include extensive automated setup and updating and recovery software.

Our Packard Bell iMedia A3317 review sample was fitted with a 2.2GHz Phenom X3 8550, and Packard Bell claims this is the current specification. But official specs still list a slower 2.1GHz AMD Phenom X3 8450 CPU. We suggest you check this with the firm before purchase.